Wooden molds

[earlene]

I doubt there is a need for bolts for the insert. I created an insert for my ED mold to turn it into a TS mold and just made sure it fits snuggly inside the mold. With a snug fit, it does not move around.

 

[Rogue-Soaper]

Since I line my molds I've never felt the need to wash them. I do however convert them to a tall, skinny mold from time to time. View attachment 36573

Oh how clever.

 

[DWinMadison]

Hi everyone,
I am back from my holiday and ready to make soap again.
I have silicone molds but have to make some wooden surrounds for them.

Can someone please tell me if it's best to use marine ply or timber to make them out of?

I have some exterior grade ply but it warps and I'm worried the molds will too as a gently CPOP.

I'm torn on this issue as well. I recently constructed a mold out of 3/4" birch plywood left over from an indoor construction project. I've used it several times including earlier this week for my 1st attempt at cpop, and it performed admirably. Mine is 13.5" by 3.5." At those dimensions, warping doesn't seem very likely to me. I could see a much greater potential for warping as the mold get's longer as there would be less support in the middle. I have some beautiful cedar planks and thought of using those, but I know it will get stained by drips/over-runs of soap, bottom leakage, etc., so I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Molds are really easy to build. I recommend starting as inexpensively as possible using good quality ply, and only graduate to solid wood if necessary. I have to keep reminding myself, "The mold, cutter, etc. is a means to and end, not the end in itself."

 

[penelopejane]

I'm torn on this issue as well. I recently constructed a mold out of 3/4" birch plywood left over from an indoor construction project. I've used it several times including earlier this week for my 1st attempt at cpop, and it performed admirably. Mine is 13.5" by 3.5." At those dimensions, warping doesn't seem very likely to me. I could see a much greater potential for warping as the mold get's longer as there would be less support in the middle. I have some beautiful cedar planks and thought of using those, but I know it will get stained by drips/over-runs of soap, bottom leakage, etc., so I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Molds are really easy to build. I recommend starting as inexpensively as possible using good quality ply, and only graduate to solid wood if necessary. I have to keep reminding myself, "The mold, cutter, etc. is a means to and end, not the end in itself."

This post is fairly old because I’ve made the molds!
See this thread:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/making-timber-molds.64078/
I used 15mm exterior grade ply and it worked really well. Keep scrolling theough the thread as I add more info - my molds were 11inches and 18 inches.
I wiped on 2 coats marine grade exterior polyurethane diluted and it soaked right in but left enough of a coating to protect the wood. I am a messy soaper and wanted the molds to be protected.

I haven’t had any trouble keeping them clean and I haven’t had any trouble with them warping.

I think the ply was a good decision but I had it available so it wasn’t a difficult decision. No way would I use cedar it’s a beautiful timber - far too good for a mold!